Tyrande Whisperwind
Tyrande Whisperwind (pronounced Tier-Rahn-Da) is the most prominent Night Elf leader, as chosen High Priestess of the goddess Elune, the former general of the Sentinel Army, and the current head of the Sisterhood of Elune. Together with her lifelong mate, the Archdruid Malfurion Stormrage, she has represented the highiest leadership of the Night Elves since the fall of Queen Azshara and the Highborne Empire ten thousand years ago. She can be found inside the Temple of the Moon within the Night Elf city of Darnassus. Personality Tyrande is the passionate, compassionate, brave, wise and occassionally rash, leader of the Night Elves, with beauty almost beyond compare. As such she is also the High Priestess of Elune, chosen by Elune herself, and worshippers of Elune with total submission and adoration. She loves Malfurion Stormrage and will do almost anything to help protect him. Tyrande is a caring soul at her core, and is willing to do anything to protect those she loves and is sworn to protect ----- which these days means the entire Night Elf race. For what she has done for them, she is highly beloved by the vast majority of the Night Elves and refered to sometimes as "The shining light of our people." She is decisive, and may take courses of action that others find disagreeable, but always has the well being of Kalimdor at the forefront of her thoughts. Illidan Stormrage once observed that she looked like a goddess herself in her war regalia, a compliment Tyrande was reluctant to accept, given her inherently peaceful nature. Tyrande Whisperwind is in many ways the perfect avatar for Elune on Azeroth; She is a caring and gentle soul when she needs to be, but is willing to do whatever it takes to protect her home and her people. Tyrande was the originally daunted by her task, but found the strength needed to adapt with the support of her beloved Malfurion. She is highly suspscious of outsiders from other races, and only rarely volunteers advice or assistance to them. The most she will offer to do for visitors is to provide a small escort of archers or huntresses to guide them, as well as to secretly keep tabs on them and prevent them from despoiling her homeland in any way. As she grows to know outsiders better, she tends to open up more to them and can become quite friendly. She often develops a deep respect and camaraderie with anyone who fights side-by-side with her on the battlefield, and appreciates the assistance of strangers even if she doesn't display or communicate that appreciation very well. Tyrande is a formidable foe and great hero, being one of the most powerful priestesses on Azeroth and a fearless warrior; Not many that have crossed paths with her have lived to tell the tale. Tyrande rides a mighty female frostsaber tiger, named Ash'alah, into battle. She prefers to fight in forests where she is most comfortable. She uses her speed and mobility to stay at range while peppering enemies with lethal bow shots. She uses her most powerful spells if severely outnumbered or the battle is going poorly. When confronted by enemies, she never hesitates to attack and prefers to not let any escape alive. Her duty to protect her people from danger is greater than her own personal moral code about fighting with honor. If any enemy turns to flee, she will gladly take the oppertunity to put a cluster of arrows deep in her or his back. History Early Life and Relationships Tyrande grew up together with the two male Night Elf twins, Malfurion Stormrage and Illidan Stormrage, in the Kaldorei city of Suramar. The three were inseparable, playing in the woods, racing, learning to hunt. Tyrande consistently bested the brothers. As they grew into adulthood together they encouraged each other to find their respective callings. Tyrande was to find peace inside the Temple of Elune in Suramar, and became a novice priestess in the order of the Sisters of Elune. Malfurion, meanwhile, was taken under the wing of the demigod Cenarius, but Illidan was yet to find his own destiny, and searched for it in the arts of the arcane. Illidan was enamoured by the very thought of Tyrande, but his brother never even noticed this "contest" of Illidan's over Tyrande's heart. War of the Ancients When the War of the Ancients began, Tyrande helped to convince Illidan to leave the Highborne, and when he did, she helped him to master his insatiable addiction to magic as they sought out Cenarius. When they finally found him, they gained the allies of Alexstrasza's dragons to fight at their side, and made war upon the Burning Legion and its allies of Queen Azshara and her unholy Highborne. It was during the battles against Burning Legion that it became apparent that Tyrande was far more adept at channeling the power of Elune then any other member of her order. Tyrande was along the love interest of both Malfurion and his brother, Illidan, though it was Malfurion to whom she returned the affection. In the later half of the war, word reached Tyrande of the death of High Priestess Dajahna at the hands of the Burning Legion and how on her deathbed she had named a successor, one who was favored by Elune and touched with the power of the Goddess herself; Tyrande. Tyrande was forced to reluctantly accept her new role as High Priestess even though she had major reservations about her ability to lead the Night Elves. 'The Sundering' As she felt the energies of Queen Azshara's gateway grow, Tyrande Whisperwind knew that they had to stem the flow of demonic reinforcements. Malfurion came up with the idea that they must destroy the Well of Eternity, which was doubtless the portal's location. At first, Cenarius and Alexstrasza were wary, knowing that only the Well of Eternity gave them their powers. Tyrande, however, though she too enjoyed her immortality and power, realized that it must be done to save their world, and convinced them to go along with it. Illidan Stormrage, however, would not hear of it, and despite Tyrande's pleas he abandoned his brother and made his way to warn Queen Azshara. Tyrande and Malfurion quickly moved against them, but they were too late. Azshara, warned by Illidan, was all too prepared for them, and the magical onslaught she unleashed upon their forces devestated them. As Malfurion fought at the entrence, Tyrande snuck into Queen Azshara's palace with a small band of sentinels and launched an attack from behind, but were startled by the queen's guardsmen. Though the sentinels destroyed the gaurdsmen, most of them were destroyed, and Tyrande suffered near-fatal wounds. At the sight of his love falling in battle, Malfurion Stormrage was enraged, and attacked Queen Azshara. Their battle threw the spellcraft of the highborne into chaos and the portal beneath the Well of Eternity collapsed with such force that the Well was destroyed, and the world was scarred, torn into fragments as floods engulfed the lands. Tyrande Whisperwind managed to survive the sundering, and she helped to lead her people back across the waves to Cenarius' land on Mount Hyjal. Cenarius and Malfurion had also survived, and they made the long trek back to land together. To their horror however, a lake atop Mount Hyjal had become fouled by the same magical energies of the Well of Eternity, which they had hoped was gone forever. It was Illidan, who had taken several vials from the old Well of Eternity's waters and poured it into the lake, creating a new Well of Eternity. Malfurion, knowing that Illidan's addiction to magic would always be a threat to the safety of the world, imprisoned his brother inside the caverns below Hyjal; the Barrow Deeps. However, with the sundering still fresh in their minds, Tyrande and the night elves dared not attempt to destroy the new Well of Eternity. The Long Vigil Tyrande Whisperwind slowly went about rebuilding the night elven society. After the World Tree was made, and the high elves were exiled, Malfurion knew that he had to leave Tyrande to rejoin the Emerald Dream. Tyrande, not wanting to be alone, begged him not to, but he insisted, and drifted off into hibernation in a Barrow Den within the Moonglades, along with all the druids. Tyrande and the remaining night elven women reformed the Sentinel Army, and they kept peace throughout Ashenvale with the help of Cenarius' sons and daughters, the Keepers of the Grove and the dryads, and the many creatures who knew and loved the Moon Goddess. But without Malfurion, she felt lost and alone, despite her devotion. The centuries passed, and suddenly, a new threat arrived on their shores. 'Invasion of Ashenvale' The Shadowleaf sentinels, led by Shandris Feathermoon, returned to Mount Hyjal to report with sorrow that Cenarius had been murdered by the green-skinned invaders who had arrived from across the sea. They were desecrating the outskirts of the forests, and perverting the wilds for whatever reason. Tyrande gathered her sentinels once again, and she sensed a growing evil. Shandris, in counsel, suggested that perhaps it was the orcs, but still, Tyrande was still uneasily aware that there was a darker power hiding in the shadows. During her short campaign, Tyrande found a group of furbolgs who were trying to leave Ashenvale before it was corrupted. Tyrande helped them gather the other furbolgs and bid them farewell. Before leaving, the furbolg elder shaman thanked Tyrande by offering her the service of a furbolg champion and two furbolgs. After killing Duke Lionheart, hordes and waves of undead invaders suddenly swarmed into the settlement, and the orc-human base was quickly destroyed. Tyrande quickly withdrew her forces, knowing that her small detachment could not handle such staggering numbers. They retreated, tirelessly followed by the undead. Finally, they caught up to them, and their fel leader was revealed to be Archimonde. Archimonde slaughtered her kindred, and would have killed her if she had not quickly used the powers of Elune to hide in the shadows. Enraged, Archimonde ordered his doom guard to find and destroy her. Hoping to warn Shandris Feathermoon before the shadowleaves were attacked, Tyrande stealthly used her shadowmelding powers to navigate the forests unseen. She collected the survivors of her cadre, and together, they raided the undead settlement blocking their way and made way for the shadowleaf encampment across the river. Awakening of the Druids Tyrande Whisperwind knew that the time had come to awaken the druids once again. Leaving Shandris Feathermoon to defend the forests of Ashenvale, Tyrande made haste for the Barrow Dens in the Moonglade. The dryads reported that Tichondrius and his scourge were advancing on the Stormrage Barrow Dens and the Horn of Cenarius on the Moonglade isle, unfortunately, the isle was blocked by an orcish settlement. In a race against time, Tyrande rushed through the orc camp and, after defeating the primal guardians of Moonglade, recovered the Horn of Cenarius, and awoke Malfurion Stormrage, her love. The primal guardians were the Fire Protector, Ice Protector, and Lightning Protector. Malfurion Stormrage believed that Archimonde's primary motivation was to assault Nordrassil, the World Tree, steal its energies, and become a god. Together, they set out to Winterspring to awaken the Druids of the Talon from their Druids of the Talon's Barrow Den. However, when they arrived, Tyrande found the Felwood furbolg tribe which was the same tribe that she had helped earlier on. They had not escaped the corruption afterall, and Tyrande, having no alternative ended their suffering once and for all. Malfurion noted that Tyrande was diffrent then he remembered, and she replied acidly that she did not have the "luxury of sleeping through times of peril." It seems that as much as she loves him, she would prefer that he spends more time with her rather then his duties inside the Emerald Dream. The Barrow Deeps and Liberation of Illidan After the Druids of the Talon were awakened, they proceeded back to the base of Mount Hyjal, where they entered the Barrow Deeps to find the Druids of the Claw. However, they soon came upon a large elven doorway, and Malfurion recognized it as the doorway to Illidan Stormrage's prison. Tyrande thought that they should free him, saying he would be a perfect ally against the enemy. Malfurion had forbidded her to do so. However, Tyrande, enraged that he would forbid her anything, gathered her sentinels and entered the prison. After battling through Califax and his minions, and defying Maiev Shadowsong, the warden of Illidan, Tyrande found him, and bid him to come back to help their people. Illidan, still in love with Tyrande, professed he would battle the demons, but not for the glory of the night elves. When they met Malfurion again, he rebuked Tyrande for her insolence, and told her that he would have nothing to do with Illidan. After Illidan Stormrage went to Felwood to battle the demons, Tyrande Whisperwind and Malfurion Stormrage got word that he was under heavy attack by Tichondrius. They quickly mustered a force and went to reinforce him. When they arrived, they found that the scourge and Tichondrius had been defeated, and found Illidan had beaten them by somehow transforming into a demon himself. Tyrande was horrified, and made no objection when Malfurion banished Illidan from the forests forever. Battle of Mount Hyjal Soon, Malfurion, and Shandris helped to defend Jaina Proudmoore's base until it was finally overrun, and then they moved to reinforce Thrall's forces. Finally, Archimonde came upon the night elven settlement at the gates, and destroyed it all. Everything was going according to plan. Archimonde, made over confident by his victories, moved against the World Tree, heedless of the Ancestral Guardians who had begun to gather in the forests around the roots. At a call from Malfurion Stormrage, they massed and collectively assaulted the warlock. When they detonated, Archimonde was immediately destroyed, and the World Tree seared. They had won against impossible odds. In the wake of the titanic battle, the allies went their seperate ways. Jaina's people settled on the island of Theramore, Cairne Bloodhoof of the tauren established Thunder Bluff in Mulgore, Thrall founded the nation of Durotar, and Tyrande and Malfurion took their people back into Ashenvale to begin healing the damage done by the Burning Legion. Terror of The Tides 'Lordaeron and the Plaguelands' Category:Characters Category:Night Elf Category:Priests Category:Sisterhood of Elune Category:Sentinel Army Category:Azerothian Heroes